A Hong Kong taxi driver with more than 20 years’ experience was caught out by a counterfeit HK$500 note on a short late-night job.
The Standard reports a man hailed near Charming Garden in Mong Kok early Monday for Lok Kwan Street Park in Tai Kok Tsui, paid a HK$29 fare with a Bank of China $500 note and took HK$471 change before vanishing. Dim cabin light hid a crude paper-like fake; the driver noticed the texture about five minutes later. Dashcam showed a restless passenger with a non-local accent. Online driver groups said others had been hit by someone matching the description. He did not formally report this time despite a past counterfeit case; peers urge caution with high-value cash at night even where electronic pay exists.